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Today, we are traveling back in time to 1901 London to investigate the curious murder of the Lord Chief Justice of England. Joining us for an interview is Sally Smith, whose debut, A Case of Mice and Murder, is so rich, immersive, and well-written that I could not believe it was her first book.
If you like historical crime, legal settings, and a logical, intelligent, and charmingly reluctant sleuth, I highly suggest you keep reading—and then pick this one up for yourself.
Welcome, Sally! Set in 1901 London, A Case of Mice and Murder follows barrister Gabriel Ward as he reluctantly investigates the murder of the Lord Chief Justice of England. I loved Gabriel’s character—hyper intelligent, particular, and careful—and the close-knit legal setting of London’s Inner Temple. What do you love about Gabriel, as a lawyer and as a detective?
Hello and thank you for asking me about my novel. I think Gabriel has some very typical characteristics of a lawyer; as you say, he is very particular and careful and also very logical and detached in his approach to life. He is also kind and tolerant and naturally empathetic. And a good observer. All those characteristics make him a good detective as well.
How has your professional background as a barrister and King’s Counsel in the Inner Temple influenced your writing? How did your present-day experience help you construct Gabriel’s 1901?
I have been a barrister all my working life and I am lucky enough to both work and live in the Inner Temple, so I am absolutely steeped in the atmosphere. One of the challenges was to reconstruct the physical surroundings. Whilst some buildings and parts of the layout are exactly as they were in 1901, there was extensive bomb damage in the Second World War so some parts are quite different. Because the present appearance is so familiar to me I found it quite a challenge to retrain parts of my mind’s eye to see it all as Gabriel saw it. But having said that, the way of life, close and collegiate has not really changed all that much!
Gabriel is solving, essentially, two mysteries at once: the murder, and the authorship of a popular children’s book, Millie the Temple Church Mouse. How did you construct the story, in order to successfully weave these two plotlines together? To what extent did you plot the mystery before writing it?
I wrote the beginnings of the two stories separately and then as the plots converge, the writing sort of converged with it. This was my first novel and I think I was rather amateur in my approach to plotting, which was partly planned beforehand but mainly grew organically as I went along.
As a debut author, what have you learned during this publishing process? Is there anything that surprised you as you brought your book to market, and/or do you have any advice for emerging authors?
I was absolutely bowled over by the skill of both my agent and editor who really did take me by the hand and teach me an enormous amount about how to structure my story. I have learned quite a lot, I hope, about eliminating self-indulgence from my writing and concentrating on telling the story in a way I hope readers will enjoy. I think I would say to an aspiring author that the best thing to do is read obsessively, good and bad. It is never wasted and either way it always teaches you something; if only what to avoid!
Lastly, what’s next for you? When can we expect more Gabriel Ward, and/or do you have any other projects you’re excited to share?
Gabriel presently takes up all my time. A second one is coming out in the UK on July 17 and I am very heavily engaged in writing the third. Each follows the same pattern of a murder and a legal case, but I am learning more and more about Gabriel as he develops quite happily all by himself.
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Look for this interview in the July 8, 2025 Cluesletter. (Subscribe here!)
Yours mysteriously,
Manon 🔍✨
